Brush-making machine



May 22, 1923. I 1,455,932

- I .u. s. PERKINS I BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8, 192 2Sheets-Sheet 1 48 I l I 1 T1775 A TTOHNEYS U. S. PERKINS BRUSH MAKINGMACHINE May 22,1923. 1,455,932

Filed Dec. 8, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet m 1 m I;

IN VE/V TOR .Per '5.

I v, ZZ $11266 A TTOR/VEYS Patented l t lay 22, 1923.

NET-Elli BRUSH-MAKING TEACHINE.

Application filed December 8, 1921.

To all to 7mm it may concern Be it known that I, Unrssns PERKINS,

a citizen. of the United States, and a resident of Lebanon, in thecounty of Boone and State of Indiana, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Brush-Making Machines, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in brush making machines, and itconsists in the combinations, constructions and arrange ments hereindescribed and claimed:

An object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed for removing the soft cellular substance from the harder fiberof a palmetto root for making brushes or the like.

A further objectof my invention is to provide a device of the characterdescriaed, in which means is provided for automatically ejecting theproduct, when finished, from the machine.

A further-object of my invention isto provide a device of the characterdescribed, which is thoroughly practical for the purpose intended andwhich is capable of greatly increasing the production of brushes overthe present crude means for removing the cellular substance from thefiber;

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification.and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

Fly invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming partof this application, in which Fig. 1 is a. side elevation, partly insection, of an embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is another side elevation, partly in section, of the mechanismillustrated in Fig. 1,

F ig. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the device,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional View of the vertical cutting comb, and

Fig. 6 is a section of one of the horizontal cutting combs.

In carrying out my invention, I make use Serial No. 520,922.

of a circular platform 1', which is rotatably mounted in a horizontolplane upon a vertical shaft 2 by means of bearing members 3. The shaft 2is mounted upon an iron pedestal having a base 5 by means of which thepedestal may be securely fastened to the floor. Means for slowlyrotating the plat form 1 is provided in a bevel gear 6, which is carriedby the bearing member 3 of the platform 1. A second bevel gear 7 on ahorizontal shaft 8 is arranged with its teeth in mesh with a gear 6. Theshaft 8 is retatably mounted upon bearings 9 and .10. The bearing 10 issupported upon the vertical support 11 and the bearing 10 is secured, asshown at 12, to the shaft 2. A wormwheel 13 is carried by the shaft 8and is operatively engaged with a wormgear 141; on a shaft 15.Bearingand support for the shaft 15 is provided by the bracket andconnected to the shaft 2, as shown at 12.

A horizontal shaft 16 is rotatably disposed in bearings 17 and 18, whichbearings are suitably supported by means of standards 19 and 20 secured.to the floor 21 by any suitable means. The shaft 16 is provided with aplurality of flat crown pulley wheels 22 which are adapted to be drivenby means of a belt by any suitable power device (not shown). A secondgroup of pulley wheels 23 is carried by the shaft 16 and is in alinementwith a corresponding group of pulley wheels 24 on the shaft 15. Thepulley wheels 23 and 24 are connected by means of an endless belt sothat by shifting the belt 25 from one pair of pulley wheels to another,the speed ratio of the shafts 15 and 16 may be varied at will. In Fig.1, the shaft 15 is shown at the lowest speed ratio with the shaft 16.

The platform ,1 is provided in this case with twelve spring actuatedclamping members 26. With reference to Fig. at, the clamping members 26arev composed of a stationary clamping jaw 27 having an arouate grippingedge 28, which is brought to a sharp point to further insure a closeengagement with an object held thereby. A movable clamping member 29 isslidably disposed on the platform 1 and also has an arcuategripreference to Fig. 3

ping edge 30 similar to the gripping portion 28 of the clamp 27. Theclamp 29 is provided with an upwardly extending member 31 having a pin32 mounted transverse thereto, a compression spring 34 is disposedagainst the flange 31 and concentric the pin 32 and has its other end inclose engagement with an upwardly extending member 35 which is securelyfixed to the platform 1. The member 35 is provided with a pin 36 similarto the pin 32 about which the spring 34 is mounted. A sliding member 37is se cured at 38 to the clamping member 29 and extends through themember 35 and is provided at its rearward end with an upwardly extendingshaft 39. A rotatably mounted sleeve 40 is disposed on the shaft 39 fora purpose hereinafter described.

7 A spring 34 constantly tends to force the clamping member 29 towardthe stationary clamping member 27 so that an object such as a section ofa palmetto root, as shown at 56 may be securely held between the gripained es 28 and 30 of the res )ective clam ing members.

Means for automatically moving the clamping member 29 away from thestationary clamping member 27 to occasion the release of an object heldtherebetween is provided in a substantially semi-circular cam member 42.The cam member 42, as

will show, is substantially L-shaped in cross-section and is mounted bymeans of arms 43 upon the vertical shaft 2 in the relative positionshown in Fig. 2. When the various sleeves 40 come into contact with thevertical wall portions 44 of the cam 42, they are drawn by means of thevertical wall 44, as the platform 1 re volves, back toward. the shaft 2against the action of the tension springs 34, to occasion the rearwardmovement of the clamping member 29, since the clamping member 29 isfixedly mounted upon the sliding member 27. Each of the clamping membersis provided with three of the springs 34, as reference to Fig. 2 willshow.

' The purpose of the clamping members described is for holding a sectionof a fibrous root, such as the palmetto root so that the soft cellularsubstance 45 between the harder fibers 46 may be removed by a suitablemeans.

Means for removing the cellular substance 45 from the fiber 46 of theroot is provided in a pair of horizontally and rotatably mounted cuttingcombs 47 and 48. .These rotary combs 47 and 48 are carried upon shafts49 and 59, respectively, which shafts are rotatably mounted in bearings51 and 52 supported upon the bracket 53. The bracket 53 is supportedupon a standard 20, substantially as shown at 3.

Each of the cutting combs 47 and 48 is composed of a central core 54upon which are arranged 4 equally spaced apart rows of pins 55 whichturn with them and provide a comb-like cutting of the root 56, which inthis case is a palmetto root, to cause the soft cellular substance 45 tobe shredded and removed from the harder fibers 46.. clearly shown inFig. 6.

The cutting comb 47 is mounted in a higher plane, as reference to Fig. 1will show than the cutting comb 48. The purpose of this is to have thecomb 47 make a relatively shallow cut, as shown at 57 in Fig. 6 and thenpermit the cutting comb 4-8 to finish the cut as is also shown in Fig.6. The rotation of the platform 1, as shown in 2, is counterclockwise. Ameans for driving the cutting combs 47 and 48 is provided in pulleys 57and 58 carried by the shafts 49 and 50, respectively. These pulleys areconnected by means of an endless This is bearing 62 is provided in abracket 63' which I is secured at one-end to the bracket 53 and at itsopposite end to a cross brace 64 extending from the bracket 53 to theshaft 2. The vertical cutting comb 61 is provided with a plurality ofsharp pointed spaced apart cutting pins 65 similar to the pins 55 on thehorizontal cutting combs The pins 65, however. are mounted in planesparallel to the shaft 66 upon which the comb is carried. shaft 66 isprovided with a pulley wheel 67.

Means for driving the vertical cutting comb 61 is provided in a smallmotor 68 which is bolted or otherwise fixed to the cross brace 64. Abelt 69 provides means for operatively connecting the motor 68 and thecutting in Fig.2.

The purpose of this vertical cutting comb is to finish the article, i.e, to trim away the rough edges which would be left when the horizontalcutting comb shredded away the soft cellular substance. The pins 65travel at a relatively high rate of speed and do not actually out down,into the, cellular substance 45 but trim away the fragments which mightbe left after the horizontal combs have finished their operation on theroot 57.

Means for forcibly ejecting the root 57 after a portion of the softcellular substance has been removed and the fibers 46 are left, forminga hand brush, is provided in the following manner. An opening 70 isprovided through the platform 1 intermediate each of the gripping edges28 and 30 of the clamping members previously desired. Slidably disposedpistons 71.. are lIiQLlllied in The opposite end of the comb 61,substantially as shown tical alinement with the openings 70. This ismore clearly shown in Fig. 1.

A spring pressed plunger 72 is slidably mounted in a bearing 73supported on the vertical support 11 and is provided with an adjustablesleeve 74 adjacent its upper end. The sleeve 7 1 is provided with anoutwardly extending finger T5. The finger 75 is arranged for contactwith a cam 76 which is carried at the outer end of the shaft 8. spring77 is disposed intermediate the sleeve 74 in the bearing 73 to normallyhold the finger 75 in close engagement with the cam 76.

The cam 76 is so timed with the rotation of the platform 1, that theplunger 72 is pressed downward as the opening 70 approaches a pointimmediately above the plunger 72. When the opening 70 comes intoregister with the plunger 72, the cam 76 releases the finger 75 andallows the plunger 72 to be forcibly projected against the piston 71,which in turn forcibly ejects the finished root 56 into any suitablecontainer.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, theoperation thereof may be readily understood. In Fig. 2, I have onlyshown three of the clamping members complete. The others I have shown inoutline without the springs in detail. The sections 56 of the palmettoroot are substantially oval in cross section and are cut down to arequired thickness. They are then manually placed intermediate thegripping edges 28 and 30 of the clamping members 27 and 29 which aredisposed on the left of the ejector mechanism as the device is shown inFig. 2. Thus there are three clamping members into which the sectionsmay be placed. When the clamping members have travelled with theplatform 1, so that the sleeves are released from engagement with thewall 44:, the sliding clamping member 29 will close towardthe clampingmember 27, and grip the section firmly. The section 56 of the root willthen be moved into engagement first with the cutting comb 47 which willby means of its sharp pins shred and remove a portion of the cellularsubstance of the root 57 They will then pass beneath the secondhorizontal cutting comb 48 and the remainder of the cellular substance15 required to expose the necessary amount of fiber 46 will be removed.

The sections 56 thus treated will continue to move in a counterclockwisedirection and will pass under and in engagement with the rapidlyrevolving vertical cutting comb 61., The pins of the cutting comb 61,will by means of their circular movement virtually clean the uppersurface 7 8 of the section 56 and will also remove any shredded portionsof the soft cellular substance which may be disposed adjacent the edgesof the section 56-, thus finishing the edges of the section to produce auniform and well finished appearance of the article.

The sections 56, thus treated, will continue to move with the platform 1until they are directly over the vertical plunger 72. The cam 76, whichis mechanically synchronized with the movement of the platform 1, willat this time be released from its engagement with the finger and theplunger 72 will be forcibly projected against the vertical piston 71.The vertical piston 71 will thereupon forcibly eject the section fromits position upon the platform 1. This is possible because the revolvingsleeves 40 have again come into engagement with the cam wall 414 of thecam member 42 and the sliding clamping member 29 has been again drawnback against-the springs 3 1 away from the stationary clamping member27;

If it is found that the relative speed of the horizontal cutting combsand the platform 1 is not properly suited to the particular density ofthe sections 56 under treatment, the belt 25 may be shifted upon thepulley wheels 23 and 9A- to properly adjust the speed ratio of the shaft16 and the platform 1.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a rotatably mounted platform,means for removably securing sections of a fibrous and cellularsubstance to said platform, a horizontally disposed shaft carrying acombshaped cutting member mounted above said platform, a verticallydisposed shaft carrying a comb-shaped cutting member mounted above saidplatform adjacent said first named cutting member, means for rotatingsaid platform, and said first and second named shafts, and an ejectorfor ejecting said sections after they have passed out of engagement withsaid cutting members.

2. In a device of the character described, a revolving circular platformhaving a plurality of openings therethrough arranged in circularalignment, slidably mounted pistons disposed one beneath each of theopenings through said platform, and supported by said platform, aplunger disposed beneath said platform and arranged for axialregistration with said pistons individually as said platform isrevolved, a spring for normally forcing said plunger up into contactwith the adjacent piston to elevate said piston, and a cam supportedbeneath said platform for drawing said plunger against the action ofsaid spring prior to the registration of said plunger in the adjacentpiston and for subsequently releasing said plunger as the piston movesinto registration with said plunger.

3. in a device of the character described,

a cutting member mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis comprising aeyllnder having a plurality of slender radially extending cutting teeth,a cutting member mounted for rotation on a vertical axis com prising adisc having a plurality of longitudinally extending slender cuttingteeth on the under face thereof, and means for removing an objectthrough a horizontal plane into engagement with said horizontal and 10vertical cutting members, whereby portions of said object may beremoved.

ULYSSES S. PERKINS. I

